Revolving door hanger assembly

ABSTRACT

A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on a center shaft wherein each wing is connected to the center shaft by a respective pair of rings, each wing being pivotally connected to its respective pair of rings, and the rings being rotatably mounted on the center shaft, and detent assemblies connected between the rings and the door wings, and between the center shaft and the rings for holding the wings in the normal operative position but allowing the wings to be pivoted to the inoperative, collapsed position.

[ June 3,1975

United States Patent [191 Sheckells REVOLVING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY Primary ExaminerKenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brady, OBoyle & Gates [73] Assignee:

ABSTRACT A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a re- [22] Filed:

[211 App! 403461 volving door on a center shaft wherein each wing is connected to the center shaft by a respective pair of rings, each wing being pivotally connected to its respective pair of rings, and the rings being rotatably mounted on the center shaft, and detent assemblies connected between the rings and the door wings, and

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between the center shaft and the rings for holding the wings in the normal operative position but allowing the wings to be pivoted to the inoperative, collapsed position.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1936 Peremi et FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 5l9,686 4/1940 United Kingdom..............;...... 49/44 Pmmtnm 1975' SHEET I Hi.

FIG. I

REVOLVING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The revolving door hangerassembly of the present invention is adapted for use in revolving door installations of the type disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 210,385, filed Dec. 21, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,766,686, wherein the power drive and speed control mechanism for the revolving door are contained in the center shaft of the revolving door. 8

In all revolving door installations, it is necessary that the door wings be collapsible so that people, under panic conditions, can pass through the doorway without having the wings impede their travel. With the advent of revolving door installations of the type having the power drive and speed control mechanism contained in the center shaft, as disclosed in my aforementioned pending application, it was necessary to devise a hanger assembly for supporting the door wings on the center shaft, which was now of a larger diameter than the conventional center shafts, so that the wings may be pivoted to the collapsed position in accordance with standard safety requirements. Accordingly, the hanger assembly of the present invention has been devised which comprises, essentially, a pair of rings for each door wing rotatably mounted on the center shaft, each door wing being pivotally connected to its respective pair of rings, and detent assemblies connected between each ring and the center shaft, and between each ring and its respective door wing for holding the wings in the normal, operative position but allowing the wings to be pivoted to the inoperative, collapsed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a revolving door installation employing the hanger assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the connection of the door wings to the center shaft;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the details of the hanger assembly of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a revolving door is shown consisting of four wings I radiating from a vertical center shaft 2 extending between a ceiling 3 and floor 4, the door wings being supported on the center shaft 2 by a pair of hanger assemblies 5 and 6, to be described more fully hereinafter.

As will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the center shaft consists of three tubular sections 2a, 2b and 2c. The upper end of tubular section 2a is fixedly secured to the ceiling structure 3 by a flange and bolt assembly (not shown); this tubular section contains the power drive and speed control mechanism disclosed in my aforementioned copending application.

The lowest tubular section 2c -is supported on the floor 4 through a short upstanding stub shaft 7 resting on a base 8 which is recessed into the floor. A suitable low friction thrust bearing 9 on the stub shaft supports the revolving door by being recessed into a cap or plug 10 secured rigidly in the boreof the lower end of tubular section 2c constituting the bottom terminal of the center shaft 2 and being a rotational component of the center shaft. A disc 11 is secured to the upper end of tubular section 2c and discs 12 and 13 are similarly disposed in the end portions of tubular section 2b which forms an intermediate part of the revolving portion of the center shaft 2.

The details of hanger assembly 5 are shown primarily in FIGS. 3 and 4, it being understood that the two assemblies 5 and 6 are identical; therefore, a description of one assembly will serve to describe both. As will be seen in FIG. 3, the hanger assembly 5 comprises a coupling 14 connected to the output 15 of the power drive and speed control mechanism of the type shown and described in my aforementioned copending application. Under the coupling 14 in stacked concentric relation are four hanger rings 5 for the four wings of the door, the lower hanger assembly 6 also having four hanger rings 6' each of which corresponds to a respective upper ring, whereby each door wing is supported by a respective pair of rings 5' and 6'. The several rings 5 are separated by anti-friction bearings 16 and a similar bearing 17 is placed beneath the lowermost hanger ring 5' and the underlying disc 12. The coupling 14, rings 5 and disc 12, FIG. 3, and disc 13, rings 6 and disc 11, FIG. 2, all receive through aligned central axial openings a center hanger shaft 18 common to the two hanger assemblies 5 and 6. The upper end portion of this central shaft is securely locked to the coupling 14 by a nut 19 threaded on the end of the shaft 18, the lower end portion of the shaft being similarly locked to the disc 11 by nut 20, FIG. 2.

Each of the rings 5 is connected to the shaft 18 for rotation therewith by a detent assembly comprising a roller 21 engaging a recess 18 formed in the surface of the shaft, the roller being biased into the recess by a compression spring 22, the biasing force of which being adjustable by a plug 23 engaging the end of the spring and threadably mounted in the ring.

Each door wing includes a marginal frame or molding 24 and each interior vertical section of the door wing molding adjacent the center shaft 2 carries a rigid solid framing bar 25, these bars being held in bearing parts 26 on the moldings 24, FIG. 4. The framing bars 25 are preferably constructed in sections which are joined adjacent to the assemblies 5 and 6 by dowel type socket connections 27, where the interfitting pin and socket elements are polygonal in cross-section. The top and bottom extremities of the framing bars 25 are splined at 28 to horizontal framing bars 29 in the tops and bottoms of the door wing moldings. In a similar manner, the horizontal bars 29 are connected to vertical framing bars, not shown, on the outer sides of the door wings. Thus, each wing 1 is framed by a system of rigid bars so that the wing cannot sag or be deflected which would cause breakage of glass. Additionally, the vertical bars 25 form the wing supporting elements which connect with the hanger or suspension rings 5, 6'.

Each hanger ring 5, 6 has a radial knuckle 30 projecting therefrom at one circumferential point. The knuckles 30 of rings 5' and the corresponding knuckles 30 of rings 6 are spaced circumferentially from the knuckles of rings immediately above and below. This arrangement establishes the proper circumferential spacing of the door wings 1 around the center shaft 2. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the several knuckles 30 receive reduced diameter sections 25' of the bars 25.

Each door ring is releasably connected to a respec tive pair of hanger rings 5, 6 by a detent assembly comprising a roller 31' biased against a recess 32 formed in the adjacent bar portion 25' by a compression spring 33 contained in the body portion of the ring 5, 6 and disposed at an acute angle to the common center line for center shaft 18 and bar portion 25'. FIG. 4, the biasing force of the spring being adjustable by a plug 33 threadably mounted in the body of the ring.

Under normal operating conditions, the spring biased detent rollers 21 and 31 maintain a rigid connection between the door wings 1 and the rotating portion of the center shaft 2. However, when approximately 400 footpounds of torque is applied to the wing, the detent roller 31 releases the respective wing, allowing it to pivot around the axis of the bar 25. Detent roller 21 also releases ring 5 allowing it to rotate relative to the shaft 18. By this construction and arrangement, the four wings are allowed to yield under torque loading and collapse into compact parallelism.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

1 claim:

1. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on the center shaft, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, each door wing including a marginal frame, the vertical portion of the marginal frame adjacent the center shaft including vertical bar means, a radial knuckle provided on each ring, the vertical bar means of each door wing extending through the knuckles in a respective pair of rings to pivotally connect the door wing thereto, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the vertical bar means of the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.

2. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on said center shaft, said rings mounted on the shaft in stacked concentric relationship. first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, a radial knuckle is provided on each ring, the door wings being pivotally connected to said knuckles, the knuckles of each pair of rings being spaced circumfernetially from the knuckles of the adjacent rings in said stack to thereby properly space the door wings circumferentially around the center shaft, each door wing including a marginal frame, the vertical portion of the marginal frame adjacent the center shaft comprising a plurality of bar frames connected end-to-end, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.

3. A hanger assembly according to claim 2, wherein the vertical portion of the marginal frame of each door wing extends through the knuckles in a respective pair of rings.

4. A hanger assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second detent means comprises a roller mounted in the knuckle of each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the vertical portion of the marginal frame, a compression spring engaging said roller for biasing said roller against said frame, and a plug threadably mounted in said ring and engaging one end of said spring for varying the biasing force thereof.

5. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on said center shaft, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, said first detent means comprises a roller mounted in each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the center shaft, a compression spring engaging said roller for biasing said roller against said shaft, and a plug threadably mounted in said ring and engaging one end of said spring for varying the biasing force thereof, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.

6. A hanger assembly according to claim 5, wherein the rings are mounted on the shaft in stacked concentric relationship and a radial knuckle is provided on each ring, the door wings being pivotally connected to said knuckles, the knuckles of each pair of rings being spaced 90 circumferentially from the knuckles of the adjacent rings in said stack to thereby properly space the door wings circumferentially around the center shaft.

7. A hanger assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second detent means includes a roller mounted in the knuckle of each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the vertical bar means of the marginal frame.

8. A hanger assembly as set forth in claim 7 in which said second detent includes a compression spring engaging said roller for biasing said roller against said bar means and a plug threadably mounted in said ring and engaging one'end of said spring for varying the biasing 

1. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on the center shaft, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, each door wing including a marginal frame, the vertical portion of the marginal frame adjacent the center shaft including vertical bar means, a radial knuckle provided on each ring, the vertical bar means of each door wing extending through the knuckles in a respective pair of rings to pivotally connect the door wing thereto, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the vertical bar means of the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.
 1. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on the center shaft, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, each door wing including a marginal frame, the vertical portion of the marginal frame adjacent the center shaft including vertical bar means, a radial knuckle provided on each ring, the vertical bar means of each door wing extending through the knuckles in a respective pair of rings to pivotally connect the door wing thereto, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the vertical bar means of the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.
 2. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on said center shaft, said rings mounted on the shaft in stacked concentric relationship, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, a radial knuckle is provided on each ring, the door wings being pivotally connected to said knuckles, the knuckles of each pair of rings being spaced 90* circumfernetially from the knuckles of the adjacent rings in said stack to thereby properly space the door wings circumferentially around the center shaft, each door wing including a marginal frame, the vertical portion of the marginal frame adjacent the center shaft comprising a plurality of bar frames connected end-to-end, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.
 3. A hanger assembly according to claim 2, wherein the vertical portion of the marginal frame of each door wing extends through the knuckles in a respective pair of rings.
 4. A hanger assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second detent means comprises a roller mounted in the knuckle of each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the vertical portion of the marginal frame, a compression spring engaging said roller for biasing said roller against said frame, and a plug threadably mounted in said ring and engaging one end of said spring for varying the biasing force thereof.
 5. A hanger assembly for supporting the wings of a revolving door on the door center shaft comprising, ring means mounted on said center shaft in coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective pair of rings for supporting each door wing on said center shaft, the rings of each pair being spaced vertically from each other on said center shaft, first detent means connected between said ring means and said center shaft whereby under normal operating conditions said ring means rotates with said center shaft, said first detent means comprises a roller mounted in each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the center shaft, a compression spring engaging said roller for biasing said roller against said shaft, and a plug threadably mounted in said ring and engaging one end of said spring for varying the biasing force thereof, and second detent means connected between said ring means and the door wings for holding the door wings in operative, radiating position with respect to said center shaft, said first and second detent means being releasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wings allowing the ring means to rotate relative to the center shaft and the door wings to pivot relative to the ring means, whereby the door wings are collapsed into compact parallelism.
 6. A hanger assembly according to claim 5, wherein the rings are mounted on the shaft in stacked concentric relationship and a radial knuckle is provided on each ring, the door wings being pivotally connected to said knuckles, the knuckles of each pair of rings being spaced 90* circumferentially from the knuckles of the adjacent rings in said stack to thereby properly space the door wings circumferentially around the center shaft.
 7. A hanger assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second detent means includes a roller mounted in the knuckle of each ring and engaging a recess provided in the surface of the vertical bar means of the marginal frame. 